Habits of Mind: Thinking Flexibly

Governor Mifflin Middle School believes that the development of "Habits of Mind" should be an integral part of every child's education. Habits of Mind skills help build the foundation for learning and reaching one's potential for learning and develop the disposition for problem solving and thinking critically. This week we will take a look at Thinking Flexibly.

"If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" 
- Abraham Maslow

According to The Institute for Habits of Mind, thinking flexibly is having the ability to change perspectives, generate alternatives, and consider other options during the problem solving process. In other words, it is the ability to look at things in a different way. Thinking flexibly is a skill that can be applied to problem-solving, as well as social interactions. This skill allows individuals to change their mind based on new evidence or new understandings of old information. Flexible thinkers also tend to consider greater numbers of possible outcomes for choices and actions. 

One particular article posted on Habits of Mind; Thinking Flexibly describes different perceptual orientations that relate to one's ability to think flexibly. The article describes the differences between egocentric, or "self-centered" thinking, and allocentric thinking. The later expands on a persons ability to see themselves and their choices from another persons point of view. This lends itself to being more empathetic and consider other perspectives, thus being better able to predict and anticipate potential misunderstanding. You can only imagine how beneficial this skill will be in the professional world for anybody who has to work with others. What's more, flexible thinkers tend to have a greater resilience to set-backs and obstacles. Conversely, rigid thinkers tend to get stuck and struggle with obstacles.  


"Continuing to cling to the patterns you know inhibits your ability to discover what you don't know."
- Eric Allenbaugh





As shown in the video above, here are some ways to support the development of thinking flexibly at home:

* Point out different perspectives and different ways of seeing things - If kids fail to see other perspectives on their own, point out alternative perspectives. Show them the value in weighing different options.

* Practice brainstorming ideas - The brainstorming process helps children practice generating new and more ideas. Acting on the first impulse tends to solidify rigid thinking and inhibits flexible thinking skills.

* Practice flexible thinking as a skill! - Look at it as a positive challenge to develop the skill. Make it a fun competition to incorporate as a regular part of the problem solving process.

* Encourage and model thinking out loud - Showing kids how you consider several perspectives through thinking out loud is a great way to model thinking flexibly. Next time you have an appropriate problem to share, think through your problem-solving out loud. Kids tend to repeat what they see their adults repeatedly do.

As we continue to examine the Habits of Mind components, I hope you continue to find these communications useful in supporting the development of these skills. I wholeheartedly believe that the most successful schools are the ones who have build strong partnerships with parents and guardians to work together in supporting children. 



Additional resources and what's on the horizon for flex period!

Additional Resources

Flex Period Schedule
Days 1 & 4 - SSR - Silent Sustained Reading - Learn More Here
Days 2 & 5 - iReady - Family Resource Page
Days 3 & 6 - SEL - Social Emotional Learning Schedule
* May 10th - Academic Advisement and Goal Setting Review
* May 13th - Asynchronous Learning Day 

As always, thank you for your continued support and partnership in education!

Sincerely,

Chris Killinger
GMMS Associate Principal

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